


Truth

by victorialukas



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Being an Idiot, Canon Compliant, Communication, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ficlet, Fix-It, Gen, M/M, Missing Scene, One Shot, Poor bb, Post-Rako Hardeen Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars), We love him though, no beta we die like the younglings, ya fools, you know.... the one thing that might have been useful at ANY POINT in the Skywalker saga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:55:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26896300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/victorialukas/pseuds/victorialukas
Summary: Obi-Wan couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d irreparably severed the bond he shared with Anakin. It terrified him.This ficlet takes place after the Rako Hardeen arc inThe Clone Wars(Season 4, Episode 15-18). As drastic as the plan had been, Obi-Wan knows he was only fulfilling his duty to the Jedi Order and the Republic. But will Anakin forgive him?
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 14
Kudos: 183





	Truth

**Author's Note:**

> This isn’t explicitly romantic obikin (though I do ship it). I’ve left it up to interpretation depending on whatever floats your boat.

Obi-Wan Kenobi knew there would be consequences to playing dead when he agreed to the plan. He told himself he was doing it for the Jedi, for the Republic—and he was. His personal relationships paled in comparison to the big picture.

So…why didn’t it feel that way now, after that very plan had proven a success? Satine wouldn’t take his calls. Ahsoka, on the other hand, had seemingly forgiven him after a couple of days of the silent treatment. But he could tell part of her still felt betrayed—one didn’t need to be Force-sensitive to pick up on the hurt in her eyes.

And then there was Anakin. Anakin wouldn’t even look at him.

At first, Obi-Wan thought it might be best to give Anakin some space. Maybe, he reasoned, Anakin would come to him when he was ready to talk. No such luck. Day after day, Obi-Wan barely saw Anakin at all. When he did, the younger man dodged him in the corridors. This was a problem for a myriad of reasons. If they remained at odds, it could compromise their next mission together. Besides that, Obi-Wan simply missed his friend.

He always pushed back against fear. Fear solved nothing. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d irreparably severed the bond he shared with Anakin. It terrified him.

After a week of the cold shoulder, Obi-Wan decided this would never be resolved unless he initiated it himself. He knew Anakin must have missed him too, but he showed no signs of giving in. He was stubborn to a fault. That morning, Obi-Wan ventured to Anakin’s quarters—late enough that he would be awake, and early enough that he wouldn’t have taken off somewhere else yet. Obi-Wan took a deep breath and knocked. As the door slid open, Anakin came into view, sitting cross-legged on the floor on the far side of the room. He’d clearly sensed Obi-Wan’s presence because he seemed interested in looking anywhere but the doorway. He has also obviously opened the door using the Force.

Anakin dropped his outstretched hand, eyes cast downward. On a regular day, Obi-Wan would’ve chided him for the frivolous use of his abilities, but he figured it was best to let it go this time. He wouldn’t give Anakin another reason to shrink from him.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said as he slipped inside.

“And I wonder why that could be,” Anakin replied, still not bothering to glance up. The sarcasm stung. Even though looked as if he’d been meditating, it apparently hadn’t done much to quell his stormy mood.

“If you think you’ll succeed in pushing me away, you’re wrong,” said Obi-Wan. Anakin had done his fair share of lashing out at his master, especially when he was younger. It wasn’t enough to make Obi-Wan want to leave him. It never would be.

When Anakin didn’t reply, Obi-Wan crossed the room and sat beside him. He thought he _maybe_ felt the tension between them shift, just a little. “I did what I had to do. If you put your emotions aside and think about it logically, you might understand.”

Not for lack of trying on Obi-Wan’s part, Anakin had yet to master the art of keeping his emotions in check. He took everything so personally. Obi-Wan did his best to be patient about it, because—flaws and all—he loved Anakin. If he ever thought something had happened to him, it would be hard for him to think logically, too.

“That being said,” he continued, “I regret that you were hurt in the process. I’m so sorry. I’ll do what I can to earn your trust again, and the Council–”

“To _hell_ with the Council.”

_“Anakin.”_ Obi-Wan reached for him, expecting Anakin to pull away. He didn’t. “Look at me. Please.”

Obi-Wan gently rested a hand on his shoulder. Reluctantly, Anakin turned to meet his former master’s gaze. Despite the tone he’d been putting on, it wasn’t anger or defiance Obi-Wan saw on Anakin’s face, but pain.

“It doesn’t feel like I’m talking to Obi-Wan,” muttered Anakin. “You don’t even look like yourself.”

It was true: Obi-Wan’s hair had only started to grow back. He was sure there must be some sort of technology to push that along, but it hadn’t exactly been his top priory over the last few days. 

“Can you say you’ve never lied to me about anything? Never kept something from me?”

Anakin paused. “No,” he admitted. “But I thought you were dead. There’s no way I can explain what that felt like.”

“I can imagine. You’ll recall I lost my master, Anakin. He was killed in front of me.”

“You’re right.” The fire was gone from his voice. “It’s…it’s not quite the same, though.”

“How so?”

“You haven’t been my master for a while now. I mean, we’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Of course. You’re my dearest friend.” Obi-Wan thought he saw the ghost of a smile on Anakin’s lips as he said that, but his expression quickly became stoic again.

“When you were gone, I kind of lost myself. I hadn’t felt that way since my mother died,” he said. “Like I could’ve torn apart anyone who had a hand in your death.”

“Anakin, even if I had died, I’d never want that.”

“I know. But you were gone, and I…”

Obi-Wan squeezed his shoulder. Justified he may have been, Obi-Wan had caused Anakin this grief. He hated himself for that.

“If your cover was blown, you could have died for real,” said Anakin. “Were you afraid?”

“Not of dying, no. In a way, returning to Coruscant was scarier. I was afraid,” he gestured between the two of them, “of this.”

“I didn’t know. I guess,” Anakin sighed, “I guess I assumed you were so focused on the mission, you didn’t think of me.”

“I thought of you—and Ahsoka—every day.”

“You did?”

“Anakin,” said Obi-Wan. “We, uh…express ourselves differently. Just because I’m not always outwardly emotional, that doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“It’s all right.”

They sat in silence for a minute. Obi-Wan might have imagined it, but he thought he felt Anakin lean towards him, into his touch.

“I think I get it. More than I did before, anyway,” Anakin said eventually. “I just don’t know if I’m ready to forgive you. Yet.”

“I understand,” said Obi-Wan. He reluctantly slid his hand away from Anakin’s shoulder. Before he could stand, though, Anakin caught him by the wrist.

“Would you stay? I, um, missed you.”

Obi-Wan didn’t dare let himself smile, but his heart swelled with warmth with hope. “Of course,” he said.


End file.
